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Science News Archive July 2026 - Page 54


Page 54 of 56

Long Covid rehab program helps with return to work and focus

A new clinical trial led by University College London researchers found that ten weeks of cognitive rehabilitation can help people with long Covid symptoms such as brain fog achieve their goals in returning to work and hobbies. The treatment yielded benefits that lasted for at least six months for most participants.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJul 1, 2026

The mystery is missing: UNC-Chapel Hill study finds AI struggles to create complex characters

Researchers analyzed eight aspects of character portrayal in AI-generated stories, finding that AI models tend to 'play it safe' with their characters, leaving them mysterious or fully understood by the end. Human writers, on the other hand, are more willing to leave questions unanswered and let characters remain open to interpretation.

Pollution linked to fish hybrids in Mexican river

A Stanford-led study found that pollution is causing fish hybrids to form in a Mexican river, threatening species diversity. The researchers analyzed water and fish samples from four rivers and found that those with higher levels of chemicals and heavy metals had more hybridized swordtail fish.

SourceStanford University·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJul 1, 2026

Study finds little to no cortical lewy pathology in living Parkinson’s disease patients undergoing deep brain stimulation

Researchers found that patients with Parkinson's disease showing little to no Lewy bodies despite long-standing, clinically advanced disease. The study provides new insight into the relationship between clinical symptoms and neuropathological progression.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·Journalnpj Parkinson s Disease·TypeObservational study·DateJul 1, 2026

Before the memory fades: Scientists discover a potential early warning sign of Alzheimer’s

Researchers found that animal models with Alzheimer’s-related brain changes developed problems with cognitive flexibility months before showing signs of memory impairment. The study suggests that Alzheimer’s disease may affect neural circuits involved in executive function and adaptability before causing noticeable memory problems.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 1, 2026

University of Alicante participates in the United Nations’ largest scientific assessment on the state of the oceans

The University of Alicante is part of the international team producing the World Ocean Assessment, the most ambitious report on the current state of seas and oceans. The assessment highlights the urgent need to protect marine ecosystems, which are essential for human well-being and face unprecedented challenges from climate change, pol...

Climate change strategies that rely less on removing carbon from the atmosphere lead to better, more equitable public health outcomes, new study finds

A new study by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers suggests that reaching net-zero emissions by mid-century will substantially improve public health in the US. The study found that climate strategies relying less on carbon dioxide removal lead to better air quality and lower premature deaths.

SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalNature Climate Change·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 1, 2026

DSR: Optimization of performance lower bound for hierarchical policy with dynamical skill refinement

A new skill-based reinforcement learning approach refines hierarchical policy through dynamical skill refinement, achieving higher asymptotic performance and stable improvement compared to SOTA methods. The unified optimization objective guarantees performance improvement in TA-MDP and optimizes the original MDP's performance lower bound.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Computer Science·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 1, 2026

Dye-sensitized cascaded energy transfer for amplified 1525 nm luminescence in highly doped lanthanide nanoparticles

Researchers developed a dye-sensitized core-shell structure using Yb3+ as an 'energy relay' to achieve synergistic cascade energy transfer between ICG and the Er3+ core under 808 nm excitation. The system enhances luminescence intensity by nearly 2000-fold, providing superior performance for high-resolution imaging in deep tissues.

Study co-led at Aston University finds no evidence linking prenatal paracetamol use to autism or ADHD

A new study co-led by Aston University researchers has found no association between prenatal paracetamol exposure and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The research analyzed electronic medical records from over 708,000 mother-child pairs in Hong Kong spanning two decades.

SourceAston University·JournalJAMA Internal Medicine·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJul 1, 2026

ADHD and autism diagnoses have increased. New study points to broader diagnoses as an explanation

A new study from the University of Copenhagen found that people diagnosed with ADHD or autism in recent years have a lower genetic predisposition than those diagnosed earlier. The study suggests that today's diagnoses encompass a broader group of individuals and milder symptom profiles. This shift is attributed to changes in diagnostic...

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen·JournalJAMA Psychiatry·DateJul 1, 2026

Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers can also predict cognitive decline in people over 80

A study reveals that Alzheimer's disease biomarkers are associated with rapid cognitive decline and progression to dementia in people over 80. The presence of these biomarkers identifies patients at risk of more significant impairment and loss of independence, even within the context of multiple coexisting conditions.

SourceInstitut de Recerca Sant Pau (Sant Pau Research Institute)·JournalNeurology·TypeObservational study·DateJul 1, 2026

Cardiac screening advice published for military personnel

The European Association of Preventive Cardiology has published a comprehensive framework guiding cardiac evaluation in the Armed Forces. The new statement recommends cardiac screening for all new military recruits and individuals engaging in high-hazard duty occupations, including ECG-based testing and cardiovascular risk assessment.

SourceEuropean Society of Cardiology·JournalEuropean Journal of Preventive Cardiology·DateJul 1, 2026

New research using the James Webb Space Telescope reveals the violent origins of recently quenched galaxies

Recently quenched galaxies stop forming stars due to dramatic transformations, likely resulting from galaxy mergers. The James Webb Space Telescope has shed new light on these phenomena, allowing researchers to study the subtle signs of past violence and compact remnants.

SourceUniversity of Nottingham·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeObservational study·DateJul 1, 2026

Were Clovis foragers in Late Pleistocene North America big-game hunters, or just big-game scavengers?

Researchers from Kent State University and others studied the Clovis archaeological record to determine if humans hunted or scavenged proboscidean animals. The study found that Clovis foragers likely practiced both hunting and scavenging, but it is currently impossible to distinguish between the two archaeologically.

SourceKent State University·JournalJournal of Archaeological Science Reports·TypeLiterature review·DateJul 1, 2026

Should lowest-risk prostate ‘cancer’ still be called cancer? Study suggests changing the name could save lives

Researchers estimate that relabeling Grade Group 1 prostate cancer as a precancerous condition could reduce unnecessary treatment and prevent nearly 2,400 prostate cancer deaths annually. This change may encourage more men to get screened, potentially leading to fewer deaths from aggressive prostate cancer.

Inhibiting transcriptional hub: a phase-separating RNA polymerase alpha subunit as a first-in-class agrochemical target against Xanthomonas

Researchers have discovered a novel agrochemical target, C31, that inhibits Xanthomonas bacterial leaf blight by targeting the RNA polymerase alpha subunit, RpoA. This study demonstrates the potential of liquid-liquid phase separation as an innovative approach to developing new plant disease control strategies.

SourceResearch·JournalResearch·TypeNews article·DateJul 1, 2026